Arizona Cardinals sign QB Cole McDonald to future contract
Feb 4, 2021, 10:06 AM | Updated: 11:24 am
Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald (13) looks looks for a receiver during the second quarter of the team's NCAA college football game against Arizona on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
(AP Photo/Marco Garcia)
The Arizona Cardinals reportedly worked out quarterback Cole McDonald in late December, when starter Kyler Murray’s health status heading into the season finale appeared murky.
It turns out that wasn’t just an emergency look.
Arizona on Thursday signed McDonald after he visited the Cardinals again earlier this week.
McDonald signed a futures deal with a chance to impress the Cardinals this upcoming offseason. And there are several quarterback questions at play behind Murray.
The Cardinals’ 2020 third-stringer, Brett Hundley, will be a free agent when the new league year begins. The backup, Chris Streveler, had a rough game in his only significant action, a Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Streveler, a rookie who began his pro career in the Canadian Football League, replaced an injured Murray in the season finale and went 11-of-16 for 105 yards, a touchdown and an interception before Murray returned.
McDonald was selected in the seventh round of the 2020 draft by the Tennessee Titans, but he was released on Aug. 19.
As a junior at Hawaii in 2019, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback recorded 4,135 passing yards (third in the nation), 33 touchdowns and rushed for 383 yards and seven scores on 101 attempts.
In three seasons at Hawaii, McDonald accumulated 8,032 yards, 70 touchdowns and 24 interceptions on 61.4% passing (326-of-511).
He chipped in an additional 880 yards and 12 touchdowns on 251 carries.
